Liverpool will reportedly compete with Barcelona in the race to sign 17-year-old Malian prodigy Aboubacar Maiga from Africa Foot.

According to a report by Graeme Bailey on Rousing the Kop, Aboubacar Maiga is the subject of interest from Liverpool. The Reds are unsurprisingly combing the market for bright young prospects who can be long-term solutions for the first-team squad. So, the 17-year-old Africa Foot wonderkid has emerged as a target for the Merseyside club.

However, while the Premier League champions are among the front-runners to secure the African attacking midfielder’s services, they are not alone in the race to sign him. Maiga is also a target for Barcelona, with BlueCo, the City Group, and the Red Bull clubs also pursuing his signature.

Who is Aboubacar Maiga?

Aboubacar Maiga is the latest highly-rated prodigy in his homeland to rise in prominence. Mali has produced many well-known players, including Amadou Haidara and Yves Bissouma, in recent years. Additionally, promising prospects like Dorgeles Nene and Malick Yalcouye have piqued the attention of several well-known clubs.

As for Maiga, the 17-year-old attacking midfielder currently plies his trade for Academie Africa Foot, and he has drawn comparisons to Phil Foden with his exploits for his club. The Malican prodigy’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several European bigwigs, including Barcelona and Liverpool.

A man in demand

Barcelona’s interest in Aboubacar Maiga is hardly surprising. The Catalan giants regularly comb the market for bright young prospects, and they have increased their scouting trips to Africa. Mali, in particular, has witnessed many forays, with Ibrahim Diarra joining Barcelona earlier this year.

As for Liverpool, the Reds constantly scour the market for promising prodigies, and recent reports have linked them with Ibrahim Mbaye, Konstantinos Karetsas, and Gabriel Menegon, among others. The interest in Maiga also makes sense, as the Merseyside outfit must plan for a future beyond Mohamed Salah. Meanwhile, the report has claimed that the Reds are among the front-runners to secure his services.

However, Barcelona and Liverpool are not alone in the race to sign Maiga, as BlueCo, the City Group, and the Red Bull clubs are also interested in the 17-year-old African prodigy. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the teenage sensation.